It is known that wind generators are increasingly used for non-polluting production of electricity. Most wind generators utilize spinning blades similar to an airplane propeller supported on a post high above any buildings or nearby tree line. The resulting rotational force on an axle of the blade-type of wind generator or turbine rotates the axle about an axis horizontal to the ground or support surface to generate electricity. These wind generators need complicated and costly mechanisms to allow them to rotate so that the blades face the on-coming wind, and need additional “governor” types of apparatus to prevent them from over spinning in high winds resulting in damage to the machinery.
Other wind generators are known to utilize cylindrical shapes having turbine vanes or rotors extending from the cylinder to catch the wind and thereby rotate about an axis vertical to the ground or support surface to produce electricity. Such vertical wind generators typically involve enormous mass to produce any significant amount of electricity, and also require complicated, costly mechanisms to prevent over spinning. It is known that such vertical wind generators have advantages of rotating in response to varying wind directions; not needing a tall mounting post so they can be located at ground or roof level for easy access; rotating at relatively low wind speeds; and minimizing damage resulting from strong cross-winds.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,740,989 to Rowe shows a common “vertical axis wind turbine” having stator vanes rigidly secured to define a cylinder and having a turbine rotatably secured within a void in the cylinder. Wind is directed by the rigid stator vanes to impact the turbine rotors in a predetermined direction of rotation, and an axle of the turbine rotates an electricity generator. Other common vertical wind generators are also well known and characterized variously as having “articulating rotors”, “egg-beater rotors”, “egg-whisk-shaped wind turbines”, “spiral-shaped rotors”, “Darrieus-type rotors”, “spiral air foil rotors”, “helix-shaped, stator free rotors”, etc.
Unfortunately, none of these types of wind generators has achieved wide-spread commercial success, and virtually all known vertical wind generators involve such enormous complexities in manufacturing, assembly, overall costs thereof and efficiency of operation that they do not produce electricity at competitive costs compared to large horizontal wind generators, solar electricity generators, and other known sources of electricity.